Today is National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day

According to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA), approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter shelters nationwide every year. And of that 7.6 million, only 2.7 million are adopted (1.4 million dogs and 1.3 million cats). As we celebrate National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, it is important to raise awareness to the thousands of pets waiting for adoption, but it is equally essential to understand their behavior to ensure that they are the perfect fit for your home.

Animals end up in shelters for various reasons. Most commonly these pets are relinquished due to behavioral issues that are often seen as too serious to fix or due to family changes. And although untrue, shelter animals are often perceived as unpredictable compared to those purchased from a pet store or breeder.

We all know how exciting it is to bring home a new animal companion, but in order to bring harmony to the household right off the bat, there are a few simple things that we can do. In honor of National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day (TODAY), Joan Ranquet, animal communicator, energy healer, author, speaker and founder of Communication With All Life University, shares her top three tips for demystifying animal behavioral issues, giving families the opportunity to safely bring home rescue pets and give them the life they deserve:

1. Let all the family members, new and older members, two and four legged, that there will be a new family member. Telling (via speaking out loud) the present members of the household exactly who is being adopted is as necessary as letting the new animal know about who exactly lives at home. It would be best if you can have a meet and greet at the shelter or rescue a couple of times before the new animal companion comes home. Even a rehearsal or foster stay would help engage everyone in a nonthreatening way. Then, all of the animals can experience joy while alleviating the pressure of the first few days.

1. Don’t plan anything big for the first few days so that everyone can get accustomed to one another. Plan to be around for long periods of time to help establish yourself as the calm assertive emotional leader. This time in the beginning really sets the stage for how the dynamics in the household will play out.

1. Assign a purpose/job right off the bat. This gives everyone in the household job security. This purpose/job can shift down the road as the animal feels more comfortable and the relationships evolve. For example, if your dog of 5 years, Scampy, is the least bit insecure, you need to let Scampy know that he is still the entertainer and that the new dog, Fluffy, is coming in as the healer—this will really help both animals. This puts everyone at ease and allows Scampy and Fluffy to mingle in a nonthreatening, noncompetitive way. It doesn’t lock them into jobs, but allows harmony to exist immediately.

As the founder of the Communication with all Life University (CWALU), a comprehensive Animal Communication Certification program, Joan Ranquet teaches various classes on talking to your animals, EFT for your animals and much more. Through full-time programs, weekend workshops, digital classes virtual workshops and teleseminars, there is a class option available for any animal lover.

ABOUT JOAN RANQUET:

Joan Ranquet is an internationally renowned Animal Communicator and bestselling author of Communication with all Life, Revelations of an Animal Communicator published by Hay House. Joan conducts private sessions, teaches Animal Communication in Teleseminars, weekend workshops and is the founder of Communication with all Life University, a comprehensive certification program for Animal Communicators. She has released an e-book series: Animal Communication 101. Her next book, Energy Healing for Animals, (Sounds True) will be out November 2015.

Joan has been featured in The Hollywood Reporter, chosen by MSN as one of the “Top 25 People Who Do What They Love”, featured in the Orlando Sentinel, as well as in dozens of media including Pet Nation on Dateline NBC, The Today Show on NBC, Good Morning America on ABC, Animal Planet, the National Enquirer, The Los Angeles Times, The Sun Sentinel, and The Palm Beach Post.